The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),Niger state council, has advised the Governor Mohammed Umar Bago led administration against privatization of some state owned media organizations, but suggest that all that is needed is proper funding for them to function optimally.
The union’s position is contained in a Communique issued at the end of its Congress which took place at the IBB Pen House, Minna and presided over by the Council chairman, Comrade Abu Nmodu and other State Executive Council (SEC) members.
The union noted that information dissemination is not just one of the basic reasons why such facilities are established, but a tool for social services,hence privatizing the media organizations will deny the entire citizenry access to informations about the policies and programmes of the administration.
It added,”The union is calling on Governor Umar Bago to jettison plans to privatize state owned media outfits, but rather invest in them to make them functional and attractive for investors to patronize”.
According to the congress, information dissemination is an essential social service that Nigerlites cannot be denied of because both government and the governed needs effective information dissemination and the state government’s role in this regard is a necessity.
Our correspondent reports that after exhaustive deliberations on issues affecting journalists in the state, they unanimously resolved that poor funding is one of the major problems facing state-owned media organizations in the state,saying that privatizing them would not solve their problems.
The journalists,therefore,called on the state invest in such media organizations to make them functional and attractive.
The Communique signed by:
Umar Borno, Chairman, Akawu Ibrahim, Secretary
Communique drafting committee respectively, and the Council Secretary,
Comrade Usman Chiji,in his comment, observed that information dissemination is not only an integral part of any government but essential social service to the people of the state, hence the state government’s role in this regard is very necessary.
The Congress commended Governor Umar Bago for appointing members of the union in the persons of; Mallam Bologi Ibrahim, as Chief Press Secretary, Aisha Wakaso, Special Adviser, Print Media, while Hamza Waziri is the Coordinator, Press Affairs, office of the Governor’s wife and as well Babangida Usman as Senior Special Assistant on Media.
Edited by Dada Ahmed
